In the medical facility's private room, Eitan Snr glanced at the body in the bed for what seemed like the millionth time as he paced the small space. The still body in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask on his face, an IV line attached to his arm by a needle, and the heart monitor getting its data from the clasp on the pointer finger of the left hand. Why did that detail seem to be significant? Eitan couldn't process the relevant reason.

There had to be a reason; shaking his head, he sighed. Right now, Eitan waited for his son to wake. The surgery had been long, stretching his nerves to the point of near breaking. The uncertainty of not knowing if the only family he had left was going to live was similar to the pain of a bullet. The difference was that it disappeared as soon as the doctors had informed him Eitan Jnr would pull through, even though there had been significant blood loss; his survival was all due to the speed at which the team had attended to the injury; it wasn't lost on him that he could be in the morgue identifying the body, not pacing and waiting.

Inhaling, he turned to pace again but stopped when he found the faces of his team waiting outside the door. Glancing at the bed, he moved to the door and stepped out, closing it behind him.

"What are you all doing here?" he asked quietly.

"We came to see how he was?" his second in charge spoke while the other nodded.

"Thank you," Eitan whispered, "he lost a lot of blood, but the doctors seem to be optimistic."

"Did we do enough to save him?" another of the team asked.

"Never doubt yourselves," Eitan said, "I was told that if you had not attended him as quickly as you had, I would be in a morgue right now. I owe you a life's debt."

"No, you don't," a tall man at the back whispered, his deep voice rumbling, "... each of us owes you a life's debt, and now we can pay ... finally."

"What do you mean?" Eitan asked.

"You have been instrumental in saving each of us during the years," his second in command said, "you just never knew it."

"How did you find out?" Eitan asked. "I didn't even know."

"We were advised a few hours ago when we were debriefed," his second in command said, "it was thought that we accepted your son because we were aware of what you'd done for us. When we told them it was his character, the kind of person he is and his team ethic that made us accept him, not his lineage, they revealed that you were our rescuer when we needed one the most."

Eitan Snr smiled and nodded, "Now I know. Thank you ... my brothers."

Acknowledging nods of the bond turned to alert expressions, drawing Eitan's gaze into the ward. Where his son was pulling the oxygen mask off before resting his head tiredly on the pillow.

"He's waking," he whispered, "please come and greet him. I want him to know he is not alone."

Nodding, they silently filed into the ward. Eitan stopped beside the bed, grasping the still hand on the covers. Gently squeezing, he waited as his son's head rolled toward him, recognition coming to the gaze before it moved on to the men waiting at the bottom of the bed.

"Where ... am I?" Eitan jnr croaked, "Am..." he looked around, "... am I dead?"

"You're in the medical facility," Eitan Snr spoke quietly, "you're alive."

Nodding, Eitan returned the grasp on his father's hand and met the men's gazes at the bottom of the bed, "Thank you. All of you. I owe you ... a life's debt."

Heads shook, confusing Eitan, "I don't understand. You saved my life ... I ..."

"Your father already paid over and over through the years," the tall man said, "you owe us nothing ..." he glanced at the others, who nodded, ".... except joining our ranks and being a brother."

Eitan Snr's gaze snapped to those of his team. The feeling of overwhelming gratitude bubbling up and filling the space in his chest, he blinked quickly as sudden tears gathered, threatening to escape.

"By my father's reaction, I take it that this is an honour," Eitan said, taking in the men one at a time, "why would you want me to join you?"

"At first, we accepted you ... because of your father, but as the mission unfolded, we accepted and ... trusted you because of who you are," the second in command said, "you put the hostages and the team first. You took a bullet for people you didn't know just because they were your team. That deserves a place in the brotherhood."

Nodding, Eitan Jnr looked at his father's pride-filled expression, "What do you think?"

"I think you'll do very well with your brothers," Eitan Snr said, "but this is your decision ... not mine."

A smile spread over Eitan's lips as his gaze moved over the men, "I accept."

Smiles greeted his words as each man moved up the bed to shake his hand in greeting and left the room, leaving father and son alone.

Silence followed their exit, and Eitan Snr pulled a chair toward the bed and settled in, grinning at his son.

"What are you doing?" Eitan Jnr asked.

"Sitting with you," his father said, "I promised I'd be with you every step of the way, and I have been."

"They let you into the operating room?" Eitan asked, surprised.

"I was close enough in the observation room," his father smiled, "but I was there."

"Just as you promised," Eitan Jnr whispered, "did we get everyone out?"

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Yes, we did," Eitan said, "and the compound is levelled to the ground. I know because I sent pictures through from the helicopter."

Nodding, Eitan Jnr smiled, "It was a good mission."

"Yes, it was ... son," Eitan Snr smiled, "I sense you have several questions."

"So many," Eitan said, "but I'd love to have something to eat right now."

Chuckling, his father reached forward, pressed a button near his son's hand, and waited.

Nagid stood as the team left the hospital room; the tall man saw him and moved toward him; the others followed, glancing at each other. Nagid extended his hand, taking the tall man's extended hand at the elbow and receiving the same greeting.

"How is our brother?" Nagid asked.

"He is awake, and the doctors are positive," the tall man said, looking down into Nagid's concerned gaze, "who told you?"

"I was ... at the event," Nagid said, clearing his throat and dropping his arm to his side, "when I heard ... I figured there were enough of us there, including regulators, the heir, death dealers and extractors ... what could go wrong?"

"You were more concerned for our new brother in arms than the outcome of ... the event," the tall man glanced around as he spoke, "why?"

Nagid sighed, "Surely you should know," he whispered.

"I don't..." the tall man replied, "tell me."

"I may not be in the division, but I am a brother," Nagid said slowly, meeting the steady gaze above him, "once a brother in arms ... always a brother in arms."

The tall man nodded, "It's good to see you."

"As it is to see you, my brother," Nagid said before being drawn into a hug.

"Care to introduce us," the second in command said, breaking the brothers apart.

"My baby brother, Nagid," the tall man said, "my team, brother."

Nagid met the eyes of each member and nodded, "It's good to meet the men who have my brother's back."

"Wait. This is your actual brother," the second in command said.

Both men nodded.

"You never said you had family," the second in command said.

"Until now, I didn't know if I still had family," the tall man said.

Nodding, the second in command stepped forward, shaking Nagid's hand, followed by the others in the team.

Nagid's phone buzzed on his belt; glancing around, he looked at the screen, "I have to take this."

Pressing the screen, he listened as the person on the other side started talking; he felt his blood chill as it ran through his body and swallowed hard, "How long do we have?" He paused again and sighed, "Copy that."

Stealthily, he pushed the phone into his belt and sighed, "It just got worse ... a lot worse than we thought."

"Tell us," the second in command said, "if we can, we shall help."

Nodding, Nagid motioned for them to follow him as he entered an empty room. Turning to the waiting men, he sighed.

"You know where the event is taking place, right?" he asked.

"Yes, on the protection lands," his brother said, "but we cannot be there without authorisation."

"Everyone has been called in," Nagid said, "and it's..." he sighed and looked away.

"Okay, if you're pausing for dramatic effect," one of the men said, "you don't have to."

Grinning, Nagid shook his head, "It wasn't for dramatic effect ... I travelled with this woman; she is the secret keeper's heir and now ... she has just been authorised to terminate with discretion."

"Hold on, there is only one person who can do that ..." the second in command said, "... that Death Dealer, what was his name ..."

"Bevis," supplied one of the team members.

"Yes, that's the guy," the second in command said, "who is this woman?"

Nagid smiled, "You ..." he chuckled, "do you know the surname of this ... man?"

"Come on, brother, no one does," Nagid's brother said.

"Bevis is the same person; however, the gender is female; she is the secret keeper's daughter who named her to confuse people," Nagid said, "clearly it worked."

"If a Death Dealer is active, why is everyone being called in?" asked another team member.

"The Calderone is on-site, so is her merchandise acquisitions agent from years ago, and ..." Nagid cleared his throat, " ... a second Death Dealer has been activated ..."

"What?" everyone chorused in unison.

"How did that happen?" the second in command asked.

"It was a request from the Death Dealer herself," Nagid said, "you'll like this ... Bevis' mother."

Silence met his words as they stared at him; from the back of the group, a voice filtered, "Man, that doesn't sound good."

Everyone turned to the shortest in the team and chuckled.

"It isn't good," Nagid said, "two active Death Dealers currently fighting, an Extractor guarding The Nisim who apparently killed a rogue regulator, and we have our snipers moving into position."

"This has to be true," Nagid's brother said, "there is no way you can make this stuff up. If it is true ... it's a mess."

Nagid shook his head, "Somehow, I wish it was made up, but that is the situation, and everyone has been called in to assist the family in protecting those lands."

"Why are we involved?" the short team member asked, "Do we have a stake in the outcome?"

Nagid sighed and nodded but remained silent, as did the team.

"Words are needed for an answer," the short man said, grinning.

"Do you remember Angela?" Nagid said, looking around the group.

They nodded.

"Yeah, she was the sister or niece that helped one of our agents out or something like that, but she ended up on the protected lands," Nagid's brother said, "but we don't know where she was relocated to. She could be anywhere."

Nagid shook his head, "She is still on the lands. She didn't recognise me, but I recognised her, and it looks like she and Caroline have been at the hands of The Calderone lately."

"Are they on the lands?" the second in command asked as a frown drew his brows together.

"Not at the moment; I saw them in the infirmary at The Nisim's mountain retreat," Nagid said, "but I overheard them talking, and they both live on the land. Plus, there are other names mentioned we cannot ignore, such as members of our community who have sought assistance from the family and received it. This is our fight as much as it is theirs."

"Then what are we waiting for?" The second in command asked. "Let's get going."

Nodding, the men exited the room and found their way to the roof where Nagid's helicopter waited.

"Who is flying this?" the second in command asked.

"I am," Nagid said, "now get in."

Grinning, the men got into the helicopter. They strapped in, and Nagid made preparations to fly the borrowed machine. He hoped he wouldn't be in trouble too deep when the aircraft was returned.

"Everyone ready?" he asked as the blades gained speed, "here we go."

The helicopter rose smoothly and responded to Nagid's gentle touch.

"You can still do it, little brother," Nagid's brother said, "now ... get us there as quickly as possible."

Nodding, Nagid returned his attention to the flying of their transportation and hoped they were not too late to help.